Starter and light control for motors.



W. H. COLLIER.

STARTER AND LIGHT CONTROL FOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9,1913.

1,172,583. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

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W. H. COLLIER.

STARTER AND LIGHT CONTROL FOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, I9I3.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

W. H. COLLIER.

STARTER AND LIGHT CONTROL FOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9,1913.

Patented Feb. 22,1916.

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WILLIAM H. COLLIER, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

STARTER AND LIGHT CONTROL FOR MOTORS.

Application filed June 9, 1913.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. COLLIER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Nashville, in the county of Davidson andState of Tennessee, have invented a certain new and useful Starter andLight Control for Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for controlling the electric startersnow commonly employed in connection with the internal combustion enginesof motor vehicles, and for controlling the lights of such vehicles.

IVhilel my invention is particularly intended for use on motor propelledroad ve-' hicles, it is equally applicable to motor cars, motor boats,and motor propelled aeroplanes and dirigible balloons, and therefore Iuse the term motor vehicle in a broad sense, to

include, not only motor propelled road ve-.

hicles, but also railway vehicles, boats, aero planes and dirigibleballoons.

lIy invention comprises starter control means arranged in connectionwith the steering mechanism of the vehicle and operable by means mountedon the steering post of the vehicle; and my invention further comprisesmeans for the control of the lights of the vehicle, operable by the samemeans which controls the starter, also an improved and simplifiedswitching mechanism for the control of an electric starter and for thecontrol of the lighting and other circuits.

The objects of my invention are, to facilitate the operation of themotor vehicles, and, particularly, to facilitate the operation of thestarters of such vehicles and the control of the lighting and othercircuits of such vehicles; to permit the complete control of the starterand the circuits referred to by means located on the steering post ofthe vehicle, and, particularly, by means located in connection with thesteering wheel of the vehicle; to permit the complete control of boththe starter and the lighting and other circuits by one operating means;and to improve and simplify switching mechanism for the control of theelectric starters and for the control of lighting and other circuits ofa vehicle.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to theaccompanying drawings and will then point out the novel Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

Serial No. 772,649.

features in claims. In said drawings :Fig-

ure shows a side elevation of a typical steermg post and associatedparts of an automobile or motor propelled road vehicle havlng myimproved control means applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top view of thesteering wheel and associated parts, showing the hand lever for theoperation of my improved control mechanism, and showing also theordinary throttle control. Fig. 3 shows an axial section through thesteering post and contro mechanism, the section being taken on the linew-w of Fig. 5. Fig. 4 shows an axial section through the controlmechanism and lower portion of the steering post, the section beingtaken at right angles to that of Fig. 3, z. 6., on the line 0ca2 of Fig.5. Fig. 5 shows a transverse section of the control mechanism, thesection being taken on the line y-y of Figs. 3 and 4; and in connectionwith this Fig. 5 is also shown a portion of the operating lever of thecontrol mechanism, and a portion of the sector along which suchoperating lever moves. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective elevation andpartial section of one of the parts of the control mechanism. Fig. 7 isa section similar to Fig. 5, showing'the parts of the control switch inan intermediate position. Fig. 8 is a further section on the same liney-y showing the parts of the switch in the tripping or final position.Fig. 9 is a diagram 1,, to which steering wheel 2 is connected.

and 3 the casing of the gear mechanism of the steering gear. As theparticular construction of these parts forms no portion of 31yiilivention, I do not illustrate the same in etai To the lower end ofthe steering gear is connected, .by means of a flange 4 of a bracket 5,thecontroller casing 6; said bracket and flange constituting, in theconstruction shown, an integral part of the casing; there beinga gapbetween the flange 4 and the main portion of the controller casing' 6for the projection of the ordinary throttle-lever 7, secured to the.usual hollow nitrates shaft 8 located within the steering post andconnected at its upper end to the usual throttle control lever 9. Thesteering gear is.shown in detail in Fig. 12, comprising, as usual,a worm3 on the steering shaft 2 and a worm wheel 3 intermeshing with that wormand to which is connected the steering arm 3. lar steering gear 1 do notlimit myself to use of my invention in connection with that particularsteering gear; for the invention herein claimed is independent of thestructure of the steering gear itself. Within this throttle controlshaft 8 and also within the steering post, there is another hollow shaft10, forming a portion of the starter and light controlmechanism of myinvention; and 'thTs hollow shaft 10 is connected at its upper end tothe control lever 11 (Figs. 1 and 2)' while the lower end of this shaft10 extends through the controller casing 6, and within said casing, hassecured to it a bell crank lever 12, shown in detail in Fig. 6, the hubof this bell crank lever being split, as indicated particularly in Fig.6, and as also shown in Fig. 5, so that that bell crank lever may beclamped to shaft 10 by means of the screw 13, (Figs. 4 and 5)-. Une arm,12 of this bell crank lever is provided with a contact piece 14,insulated from the arm 12 by means of insulation 15; and this contactplate 14 is adapted to make contact simultaneously with two springcontact pieces 16 and 17 which, as shown hereafter, are in the startercircuit, being electrically connected to binding posts 18 and 19respectively. Tn connection with the bell crank lever 12 there is aspring 20 and, when the arm 12 of the bell crank is in contact withcontact pieces 16 and 17 (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5) thisspring 20 is in engagement with the arm 12 of the bell crank and istending to press said bell crank backward. The bell crank is moved tothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, by moving the controllever 11, (Figs. 2 and 5) in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5,to the position marked Start on the sector 21. As will be shownhereafter, engagement of the contact piece 14 of the bell crank arm 12with these contact springs 16 and 17, closes the starter circuit; and asT prefer to provide no means for holding the lever 11 in the startposition shown in Fig. 5, the operator is required to hold that lever insuch position, against the pressure of spring 20, during the operationof the starter as a starter; and as soon as the operator releases thecontrol lever 11, the spring.

20 forces the lever 11 backward to the running position, marked Run inFig. 5, in which position a locking dog 22 carried by the control lever11 engages a notch 23 of the sector, which notch is indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 5, so holding that lever in the However, in illustrating aparticu-- lever 11 back to the running position, and

might throw such lever farther except for the engagement of the dog 22with the notch 23. Upon the bell crank lever 12 is also mounted a disk24 of insulating material carrying a conductive disk 25 and on this disk25 is an insulating segment 26. Spring brushes 27, 28 and 29 (seeparticularly Fig.

11) are suitably supported by and insulated from the controller casing6, and are adapted to coact with this contact disk 25 and insulatingsegment 26. These brushes and the disk 25 and insulation segment 26control the'ignition circuits. Upon the hub of the bell crank lever 12is also mounted a ratchet wheel 30 upon which wheel is mounted a contactdisk 31, insulated from ratchet wheel 30 by insulation 32.

Ratchet wheel 30 is free to rotate with respect to bell crank 12, beingactuated as hereinafter described. A plurality of spring contact brushes33, 3 1, 35 and 36 are adapted to coact with contact disk 31; and thesebrushes, as appears clearly from Fig. 9, form contacts of variouslighting circuits. For operating the contact disk 31, the arm 12 of hellcrank 12 is provided with a spring actuated pawl 37 adapted to engagethe first tooth of ratchet wheel 30. Another spring actuated lockingpawl 38 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8) is also provided, which pawl is adapted tohold the contact disk 31 in any of the various lighting positions inwhich it may be left. As will be shown hereafter, when the control lever11 is moved to the position marked T on the sector 21, one lightingcircuit is completed through disk 31; the pawl 37 engaging ratchet wheel30 and moving it anticlockwise (as viewed in Figs. 5, 7 and 8) throughthe space of one tooth, when the control lever 11 is moved from therunning position to said position marked T; and the pawl 38, engagingratchet wheel 30, will hold that disk 31 in the position correspondingto the T position on the sector, even though the control lever bethereafter moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5, towardthe running position, or toward the stop position, or the startposition;' and the return of the control lever 11 from the stop positionor the start position to the running position will not affect theposition of the contact disk 31 while in a position correspondmg to theT position or, for that matter, while in positions corresponding to theother positions marked S&T, H S TI, H& S77 H& T77 on the sector 21.

The disk 31, being in position corresponding to the position marked T,may be moved to a position corresponding to any of the other pointsmarked S & T. H S T, etc., on the sector, by movement of the lever 11 toa position on the sector corresponding to one of these markings on thatsector; and the disk 31 will remain in such position to which it may beadjusted by the lever 11.

being held there by engagement of the locking pawl 38 with a propertooth of the ratchet wheel 30. In each of these .various positions ofthe disk 3] a particular circuit or circuits is or are completed.

To return the disk 31 to the normal position. that is to say, theposition in which all of the circuits shown in Fig. 9 are broken, thecontrol lever 11 is moved counter-clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 5) to aposition marked All off on the sector; this movement of the controllever 11 moving the bell crank 12 to a position. shown in Fig. 8, suchthat the end 37 of the pawl 37 is engaged by a stationary trip 39 and isswung back; and the pawl 37, when so swung back, en gages the end of thelocking pawl 38, and raises that pawl, as also indicated in Fig. 8, soreleasing the ratchet wheel 30 and disk 31. A coil spring 40. shownparticularly in Figs. 3 and 4, and against the tension of which theratchet wheel 36 and contact disk 31 have been moved by bell crank lever12, returns the ratchet wheel 30 and contact disk 31 to startingposition, in which position all the circuits shown in Fig. 9 are open.

As will be shown with reference to Figs. 9, 10 and 11. showing thecircuits, the control mechanism thus described permits the lamps to belighted in any combination, and also permits the driving motor of thevehicle to be started and stopped without interference with the lightcircuits.

Within the hollow shaft 10, by which the controlling mechanism for thestarter, ignition, and light circuits is operated. as ust described,there is a rod 41 which projects. at its upper end, beyond the hub ofthe steering wheel 2, and beyond the lever 11; the so projecting endconstituting in effect a push button; and the lower end of this rodrests against but is insulated from a contact spring 42 (Figs. 3 and 4)adapted to be moved, by means of the rod 41, into contact with a contactbutton 43 mounted upon a supplementary casing 44 secured to thecontroller casing 6. As will be shown hereafter, the spring 42 andbutton 43 form terminals of the circuit for operating a horn or otherelectric signaling device.

The casing 6 of the controller mechanism is provided with a removablesection 45 (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8) by the removal of which access may begained to the controller mechanism; and the opening in casing 6, made bythe removal of this section 45, is sufiicient to permit the assemblingor dismounting of the controller mechanism.

Referring now to the diagrams of circuits. Figs. 9, 10 and 11, and atfirst to Fig. 9. In this figure I have shown typical lights for a motorvehicle, comprising a tail light 46, side lights 47 and head lights 48.49 designates a battery for supplying current to these lights, whichbattery may be, conveniently, the storage battery of the starting andignition system, hereinafter described. A conductor 50 leads from onepole of battery 49 to contact brush 33, this brush 33 being the commonbattery brush of the ignition system. A conductor 51 leads from brush 34to'the head lights 48 and thence is connected to a common returnconductor 52. A conductor 53 leads from brush 35 to the side lights 47and thence is connected to the common return conductor 52. A condoctor54 leads from brush 36 to the tail light 46 and thence is connected tothe common return conductor 52. Contact disk 31 is provided with twoprojections 55 and 56 adapted to make contact with brushes 34, 35 and36. When control lever 11 is moved to the position marked T on sector 21(Fig. 5) projection 55 of contact disk 31 is in contact with brush 36,and therefore the tail light 46 only is illuminated. Vhen the controllever 11 is in the position marked S & T on the sector, projection ofcontact disk 31 is in contact with brushes 35 and 36, and therefore bothtail light 46 and side lights 47 are illuminated. \Vhen control lever 11is in the position marked H S T" on sector 21, projection of disk 31 isin contact with all three brushes 34, 35 and 36. and therefore the headlights 48. as well as the side lights 47, and tail light 46, areilluminated. The projection is of such length angularly, that whencontrol lever 11 is moved on to the position marked H & S" on sector 21,said projection 55 is in contact with brushes 34 and 35 only, andtherefore only the side lights 47 and head lights'48 are illuminated.lVhen the control lever 11 is in the position marked H & T on thesector. the projection 55 of disk 31 is in contact with brush 34 only,head lights 48 being then illuminated. But inasmuch as it is improbablethat illumination of the head lights will be desired except whenillumination of the tail light is also desired, I have provided disk 31with a second projection, 56, which projection is in contact with brush36 when projection 55 is in contact with brush 34 only; the tail light46 being then illuminated. It will be obvious that other lights might beadded and other contact brushes and contact projections, from disk 31,so that in practice any desired number of lights may be illuminated inany desired combination, by means of proper arrangement of brushes andprojections on the disk 31.

Referring now to Fig. 10. 57 designates the electric starting motor and-19 designates, as in Fig. 9, the storage battery of the starting,lighting, and ignition system. It will be seen that when contact plate14: on the arm 12 of bell crank 12 makes contact with contact springs 16and 17 a circuit is complete from battery 49 through conductors 58 and59, and the starter motor 57. As previously explained, the bell crank 12is in this position only when the control lever 11 is in the positionmarked Start on the sector 21. In Fig. 10 I have also shown the circuitfor operating a horn or other signaling device, which horn or signalingdevice is designated by number 60 in said figure, the circuit comprisinga conductor 61 leading from one pole of battery 49 to the said signalingdevice 60; another conductor 62 leading from said signaling device tothe contact butt n 43 (Fig. 3), and a further conductor 63 lead ing fromthe contact spring 42 (Fig. 3) back to the other pole of battery 49.

The starting motor 57 is preferably of a type such that after the engineof the motor vehicle is started, said starting motor 57 becomes agenerator which will recharge the storage battery 49 and also willsupply current to the lighting circuits shown in Fig. 10 and to thecircuit of signaling device 60.

Referring now to Fig. 11 showing the ignition circuits. 64 designatesthe usual primary battery for supplying current to the ignition circuitsuntil the motor is started, and 65 designates the customary ignitiongenerator and timer, which supplies current to the ignition circuitsafter the motor has been started. 66 designates iliagrammatically theusual ignition coil. 25 designates, as in Figs. 3 and 4, a disk ofconductive material arranged to be rotated when the bell crank 12 isrotated by control lever 11; and 26 designates the segment of insulatingmaterial carried by this conductive disk 25. Vhen control lever 11 is inthe starting position, contact spring 29 (connected to the ignitiongenerator 65 by a conductor 67) is on the'insulation segment 26, andtherefore the ignition generator is out of the circuit; circuit beingthen completed from the battery 64 through conductor 68 and contactspring 27 to disk 25 and thence to contact spring 28 and throughconductor 69 to the coil 66 and thence back to battery.

The circuit 68. 27, 25, 28, 69 is, as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art. the usual primary circuit of the ignition coil66. 'hen the control lever is in the running position, contact disk 25will have been rotated so that brush 2 is now upon insulation segment26, and brush 29 1s masses in contact with disk 25, and therefore theignition circuit is complete through brushes 28 and 29' and the ignitiongenerator 65.

I have not illustrated the means by Which the current of the secondaryof coil 66 is distributed to the various ignition plugs of the motor,when the circuit is complete through the primary battery 64 aspreviously described, as such means (forming a part of the combinedtimer and ignition generator 65) is well known by those skilled in theart; nor have I indicated the vibrator with which the primary of coil 66is customarily provided, the use of such vibrator being well known tothose skilled in the art. The circuits shown in Fig. 11 are thosecircuits with which the assembler or user of a motor vehicle will haveto do.

The internal circuits of the coil 66 and the circuits and mechanism ofthe ignition generator and timer 65 are not shown, being, as abovestated, well known to those skilled in the art.

The ignition generator and timer 65 is preferably one which varies thetime of ignition automatically in accordance with variation of speed ofthe engine, (such automatic timers being well known in the art) andtherefore I have not in the accompanying drawing shown hand operatedmeans for varying the time of ignition.

hat I claim is:

1. A. combined starter and ignition system for motor vehicles,comprising a starter control switch and an ignition control switch and acommon operating device for said switches, said operating device havinga running position in which only the ignition switch is closed, and astarting position in which both the ignition and starting switches areclosed, and an intermediate stop position in which neither switch isclosed, and means for moving said operating device automatically fromthe starting position past said stop position to said running position,said means arranged to permit said operating device to remain at thestop position when moved thereto from the running position.

2. A combined starter and ignition system for motor vehicles, comprisinga starter control switch and an ignition control switch and a commonoperating device for said switches, said operating device having arunning position in which only the ignition switch is closed, and astarting position in which both the ignition and starting switches areclosed, and an intermediate stop position in which neither switch isclosed, and means for moving said operating device automatically fromthe starting position past said stop position to said running position,said means arranged to permit said operating device to remain at thestop position when moved thereto from the running position, and a springwhich engages said operating device when the latter is moved from thestop position ,to the starting position, said and a common operatingdevice for said switches, said operating device having a runningposition in'which only the ignition switch is closed, and a startingposition in which both the ignition and starting switches are closed,and an intermediate stop position in which neither switch is closed, andmeans for moving said operating device automatically from the startingposition past said stop position to said running position, said meansarranged to permit said operating device to remain at the stop positionwhen moved thereto from the running position, and a spring which engagessaid operating device when the latter is moved from the stop position tothe starting position, said spring adapted to throw said operatingdevice from the starting position past said stop position to the,running position, and means for arresting the operating device when thelatter reaches said running position.

4. A control system for motor vehicles, comprising a hollow steeringpost, concentric steering, throttle, and switch shafts within same,steering gear operated by the steering shaft, and switch mechanismcomprising a gap bracket connecting same to said steerin gear, thethrottle shaft having an arm wor 'n in the ga of said bracket, theswitch sha connecte to and arranged to operate said switch mechanism.

5. A combined starter and lighting system for motor vehlcles, comprisinga starter control switch and a lighting circuit control switch, thelatter adapted to control a plurality of lighting circuits singly and incombination, and operating means for said switches comprising a singlemovable operating member adapted in one position to close the starterswitch and in other successive positions to adjust the lighting switchfor the closing of various lighting circuits, ratchet mechanism forholding the lighting switch in any position to which it is adjusted,during operation of the starter switch by said operating member, meanstending to restore said lighting switch to normal condition, and meansfor tripping said ratchet mechanism to permit such returnof the lightingswitch.

6. A combined ignition and lighting system for motor vehicles,comprising an igni tion control switch and a lighting circuit controlswitch, the latter adapted to control a plurality of lighting circuitssingly and in combination, and operating means for said switchescomprising a single movable operating member adapted when in one position to close the ignition switch and in other successive positions toadjust the lighting switch for the closing of various lighting circuits,ratchet mechanism for holding the lighting switch, in any position towhich it is adjusted, during operation of the ignition switch by saidoperating member, means tendin to restore said lighting switch to normacondition, and means for tripping said ratchet mechanism to permit suchreturn of the lighting switch.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. COLLIER.

Witnesses:

J. T. BERRY, F. R. CHEATHAM.

